Posted 3 years ago on Jan. 7, 2012, 8:33 p.m. EST by GirlFriday
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ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency abruptly changed its mind Saturday about delivering fresh water to residents of a northeastern Pennsylvania village where residential wells were found to be tainted by a natural gas drilling operation.

Only 24 hours after promising them water, EPA officials informed residents of Dimock that a tanker truck wouldn't be coming after all. The about-face left residents furious, confused and let down - and, once again, scrambling for water for bathing, washing dishes and flushing toilets.

Agency officials would not explain why they reneged on their promise, or say whether water would be delivered at some point.

Resident Julie Sautner said her family was offered no explanation for why the water deliveries promised on Friday would not take place. A neighbor, Wendy Seymour, said an EPA official called her to apologize for the confusion over the deliveries and explained the agency is still evaluating what steps it will take next in its investigation of Dimock water supplies.

"She said she hopes to have an answer shortly once they have all the data they need," Mrs. Seymour said. "Maybe it's hopeful."

Efforts to reach several EPA officials were unsuccessful Saturday. In a statement Friday, an EPA spokeswoman said the agency had made no decision to provide alternate sources of water, despite phone calls at least four families said they received Friday from EPA officials arranging the deliveries.

The EPA has reopened its review of Dimock water supplies in the last two weeks after declaring in early December that its initial review of outside water tests showed the water posed no immediate health risk.

State officials have found that Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. allowed methane to seep from faulty Marcellus Shale natural gas wells into 18 Dimock water supplies - a contention Cabot denies. Recent tests of the residents' water wells have revealed other contaminants, including metals, surfactants, glycols and solvents.

After years of delivering replacement bulk and bottled water to the residents, Cabot received state approval to stop the deliveries on Dec. 1.